The Language of Hoofbeats

Hyde's (Pay It Forward) new novel is a "stay up all night, can't put it down" read. Jackie and Paula move to a rural California town so that Paula can take over the local veterinarian's practice. They bring their foster children: Quinn, the sweetest boy ever, has been formally adopted by the couple; Mando, a stoic 13-year-old; and brand-new family member Star, a troubled 15-year-old. Their new home is across the street from the town grump, the elderly Clementine. When Star gets involved with Clementine's neglected horse, Comet, who used to belong to Clementine's now-deceased daughter, things go sour quickly. Clementine refuses to allow anyone to step in and help Comet, so Star takes off with the horse. The neighbors are thrust into a close but unwanted partnership in order to bring back both the girl and the horse. The core of what makes a family is dynamic, and allegiances shift and flow in surprising ways. Clementine must face her past, and Jackie and Paula try to stay resolute to work toward a peaceful (and astonishing) denouement. Readers will be pulled into Hyde's exquisitely written story with characters so sharp you'll feel like you know them personally.